New Delhi: After a marathon Lok Sabha election 2024, spread over six weeks, the second longest general election since 1951-52, a big win for the ruling BJP-led NDA has been predicted by twelve exit polls.

The BJP and its allies are expected to breach the 300-seat mark once again, with major gains in the southern States where the BJP gained not just vote share but also seats.

The exit polls have also predicted NDA dominance in Karnataka and Maharashtra and the Left-led alliance’s rout in Kerala. In Bengal, the exit polls predicted a better performance for the BJP than it did the last time (22). Most exit polls have said that the BJP will now be the single-largest party in Bengal in terms of Lok Sabha seats.

How accurate were the exit polls in 2019? In 2019, an average of 13 exit polls put the NDA’s combined tally at 306 and the UPA’s at 120 — underestimating the NDA’s performance, which won 353 seats in all. The UPA got 93. Of these, the BJP won 303, and the Congress 52.

What are exit polls? Exit polls are surveys of voters conducted by agencies to gauge the results of an election forecast the winner and understand voter patterns. While they are not always accurate, they give a reasonable indication of an election.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 73, and his party, BJP, are widely expected to come back to power for a third straight term. The Congress, hamstrung by-poll losses and a string of defections, is part of the Opposition bloc INDIA taking  on the BJP.

The BJP this time has set a target of 370 seats and with help from its allies aims to go past the 400 mark. There are 543 seats in the Lower House of Parliament and the majority mark is 272.

Election results are to be announced on Tuesday (June 4).